Excellent small hotel, well placed just outside the main town area. The hotel has a small pool on the roof it's not for swimmers but I am sure it is a welcome cool dip during a hot summer. The food service was b& b only but the food was well prepared and fresh and the staff were always helpful. The bus station is behind the hotel and the main road into town at the front but with double glazing on the balcony doors and windows we hardly noticed the traffic. Also having the bus station this close is great for people who want to travel independently. The room we had looked out over the marina and was ten minutes walk onto the main beach and about the same for the towns main cafes and restaurants. Would we come back I think the answer is yes good hotel, food, value overall a comfortable and relaxing holiday. That said it is small with just 36 rooms its a couple hotel not a place to take the kids. As I said its friendly but the bigger family hotels around the bay do it better with more facilities for family groups

What can I say! We picked this hotel after seeing other favourable reviews on Trip Advisor.

The first thing that strikes you as you walk into the cool air conditioned reception area is the cleanliness. The staff were most welcoming and helped draw maps etc of places to visit (and avoid!). I must give praise to one member especially - Emmanuel Kemp who was most pleasant and helpful not only to us but others staying at the hotel.

We had a town facing room which from the photos, you will see overlooks the coach station. This is not as bad as it sounds. They are not driving all night and it tends to be a pick up point rather than lots of buses waiting with engines running etc. The plus side of these rooms is that they get the afternoon and evening sun whereas the marina view rooms only get it for a short time. Also, we were there whilst Portugal played and won 2 games in Euro 2008 and the locals went mad! The road outside the hotel is the main strip in and out of Lagos and the locals used it as a platform to drive their cars / trucks / mopeds / bicycles horns a-blaring for hours up and down this strip. It was a wonderful sight to see with everyone enjoying the atmosphere but I was glad we had the back room!

The rooms were immaculate and were serviced daily. They were very free about having food / drink in the rooms. The beds are very comfortable if a little slidey on the tiled floor! There is a safe which you can hire for the week at 15 euros.

The reception area consisted of some wonderfully comfortable sofas and a TV. There is also a small bar area that is open until 11.30 at night.

The sun deck on the roof was very pleasant (and hot!). The plunge pool is not heated but was very clean and inviting if a little small and shallow. The hotel does operate a free bus service to the local beaches. We can recommend Lindas Bar on the Preia Meia beach where you hire 2 sunbeds and shade for 10 euros plus a lovely chap to bring you drinks at cost price for you.

The breakfasts were delicious with a selection of breads / fruits / cold meats / cheeses and something hot every day. Please note that apart from breakfast the hotel does not do any other food other than Toasties or Pizza snacks during the day. You will have to eat out at the local restaurants.

The hotel is ideally placed for walking across the swing bridge into the marina or for wondering down town - approximate 10 - 15 minutes along the marina side.

We tried Restaurante Ferdinandos which is towards the town, just past the garage on the right. It only has around 10 tables but the steaks are to die for. Restaurante D'Algarvio behind the hotel near the Hotel Tivoli is also very pleasant. Oasis on the marina does the most fantastic salads - go for their own Oasis salad - you won't be disappointed! The owners of Marina Rio also own a restaurant in the town call Don Sebastiano which we tried. Ask to get a seat on the Roof terrace as it is absolutely stunning. The waiter service is wonderful and you will want for nothing.

I hope this is useful to anyone heading to Lagos and hope that you enjoy the same sort of holiday we did!

We stayed here for the first time for the first week in June. We love Lagos as a place but our usual hotel on Meia Pria beach has been demolished for rebuilding. We picked the Marina Rio after dropping in to look it over last trip and we are glad we did. Everything recent contributors say is true. I would add that it is impecably clean throughout (was refurbished in March 2008) and has a very pleasant light, cool and airy feel to it. Breakfasts were excellent and never any problem getting a table as it is a small hotel with just 36 rooms.

We elected to pay a bit extra when we booked to secure a front (east facing) Marina View room. The alternative was the cheaper back town view (west facing) rooms which also look over the bus station next door but do get the afternoon and evening sun on their good sized furnished balconies. At the front the sun is off the balconies by noon and you do get all the traffic noise from the dual carriageway Avenue that is the main artery in/out of Lagos. The traffic is considerable, and well into the night. We had to sleep with the window closed to reduce the noise to acceptable levels and put the aircon on to cool us through the night. I have no doubt that a return visit would be in the town view rooms - quieter and sunnier when one wants the sun. And cheaper!

If there is one tip on eating out that I would offer it is this - about 100 metres alongt the Avenue towards the town centre is the Adega Da Marina, a barn of a restaurant that sits over 200 at a time and takes no reservations. It is a great atmosphere (always live music), the service is fantastic from older experienced waiters, and the limited menu offers wonderful fish and meat dishes at really low cost. Their house wine is ridiculously cheap at only €2.65 a jug (75cl) and delicious local produce, as is everything they provide. It is usually at least half full of locals which says everything for me. Dont pass it by!

Lagos remains a lovely little town, ignored by the younger traveller and peaceful and safe as a result. I dont know why its miles of beach dont appear in the best beaches surveys I have seen - miles of perfect sand with great bar restaurants along its length. You can walk to the town end of the beach from the Marina Rio in 10 minutes or so.

After a long bus ride from Sevilla, what a welcome sight to find the bus station in the backyard of our hotel. Unfortunately, we were too early to check in, but they graciously let us store our things as we waited amidst the town.

The room was superb. The beds were incredibly comfortable, extremely spacious and had nice little touches to add to the quality - flat screen t.v., bed side reading lights, refrigerator, balcony with chairs, etc. The bathroom was top notch and a warm welcome with a tub after not having one for so long on our trip. The staff was very friendly and helpful, if not a bit shy to try their English on us.

Convenient computer use in the lobby 24 hours [in its own little office setting at the back of the lobby], elevator and stairs, pool and tanning area upstairs with great views of the marina across the street, cheap but beautiful postcards at reception; convenient location to many restaurants, an EcoMarche market, and a few minutes walk to the main plaza.

The price is right, allowing extra spending money for dolphin and grotto tours - all tourist booths located within a two minute walk along the main stretch of road.